INDIANA – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces chip seal operations in Putnam, Morgan, Owen, and Hendricks counties. Beginning on or after Monday, July 1, through late July (weather permitting), crews will be working in the following locations:
- State Road 236: From 1/4 mile east of S.R. 75 (near North Salem) to State Road 39 (northeast of Danville).
- State Road 243: From S.R. 42 to 1/4 mile south of I-70 near Cagles Mill Lake.
- State Road 42: From U.S. 231 (Cloverdale) to S.R. 142 (Eminence).
- State Road 142: From S.R. 42 (Eminence) to S.R. 39 (near Beech Grove.)
Crews will place message boards at each end of the project to alert the traveling public. INDOT suggests finding alternative routes during the short duration of the chip-sealing operation. In the event of weather delays, the schedule will be altered accordingly.
Work is completed under lane closures with flagging or a full closure in several, if not all, locations to prevent damage to both vehicles and the roadway. During operations, the existing pavement is coated with liquid asphalt, which seals cracks and provides waterproof protection. This extends the service life of the roadway and lowers maintenance costs. Once the seal coat is complete, loose aggregate is applied and swept from the road. After a curing period, crews will return to fog, seal the new driving surface, and apply pavement markings.
INDOT makes every effort to reduce vehicle damage during and immediately after chip seal projects. While these efforts may not prevent all vehicle damage during the chip seal process, they have substantially reduced the likelihood of damage.
INDOT safety efforts include posting reduced speeds in work zones, closing roadways or lanes during chip seal projects, and sweeping the roadway during the process and after the project is complete to eliminate loose stones.
Chip seal is a cost-effective pavement preservation technique utilized across the state of Indiana. For every dollar invested in extending the life of the roadway, an estimated six to 14 dollars in taxpayer expenditures are saved.
Motorists should slow down, watch for stopped traffic, and drive distraction-free through all work zones. Work for this and other projects is weather-dependent, and schedules are subject to change.
